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After-market audio

Suvivr

Part time big shot
Has anyone installed a JMCB-2003 handlebar- mounted CB-Audio system?













Officer, I know nothing, and I can prove it !
 
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"Anyone" - good heavens yes. Literally thousands of us.

What do you want to know? I'd done a few of them and run one now on my RT.
 
"sorta" still alive. But just a foul-mouthed as you'd expect in some areas. Pretty rough around a lot of truckers. Yeah, I'm talking about truckers and their language - it's true.

I use mine mainly as a mixer for the GPS, V1, ophone when I pair it - usually not and XM. About the only time I have the CB squelched off well enough to hear it is when I'm riding with someone that also has a CB and we think we have a reason to talk to each other. It also has rider/rider comms but I've never seen a need for it and now I run a fuel cell on the rear so no "nosie" from back there.

Generally, I ride alone so that is extremely rare.

Works great.
 
I've done a couple of group rides using FRS. That's what folks had, could be regional. CB or amateur radio into the autocom is also possible. My miles are usually solo as well.
 
FRS any better than CB? What channel are folks using and about how widely is it in use?

FRS is FM, so the audio quality is better, but CB wins in the range department. I think we just used FRS/GMRS channel 1 in New England.

Some Goldwings and Harleys come equipped with CB, but for the rest of us, FRS is easier to plug into an autocom or whatever system you have. And it's cheap. My five year FCC license cost more than the radio, not that you need it for the FRS channels, just the GMRS ones. I haven't ever heard about enforcement, but since I'm a ham, I tend to play by the rules. I can even remember my CB callsign from the early 70's. KAGG8449.
 
About what I thought. As to my old call signs [one ham, one CB] - I can't remember my phone number here at the house.

However, I can remember my first phone number - Highland 8-5149....:thumb
 
What do you want to know? I'd done a few of them and run one now on my RT.[/QUOTE]

I am on an '06 RT, I work for a national freight carrier, and I am alone on most of my long rides. I have one Harley friend with an Ultra equipped with a C B, and getting myself wired would be a better way to communicate -- as opposed to the old tried & true hand signals! Any " do's & don'ts " would be helpful, since I have no exper. with the Can/bus system, and would like to avoid any costly mistakes.

Officer, I know nothing, and I can prove it!
 
There aren't any gotcha's. Wire it direct to the battery. Easy install.

O. K., sounds do-able. How about the antenna? On trips, I take the top case, so I don't think mounting it on the rack will work. Almost seems like the pillion handels are all thats left, and they aren't metal. I have not spoken to J & M yet, so I don't know what they might suggest. Any ideas?
 
Antenna is on you. For me, range means nothing in transmitting power - it's a CB, range is limited anyway. That means I can use just near any old hunk of wire to receive.

I run a small, no ground plane antenna that sits where BMW puts radio antennas on the right front of the fairing. Only good for about a quarter mile for transmitting but that works fine for me.

IMG_0133.JPG


The antennas from J&M work very well. They have three lengths. The longest being the strongest. Any no ground plane antenna will work fine.
 
I run a small, no ground plane antenna that sits where BMW puts radio antennas on the right front of the fairing. Only good for about a quarter mile for transmitting but that works fine for me.

FRS is a little better than that, especially with the 2 watt radios. Not many FRS radios have the ability to add external antenna, but some do. Still, on a group ride, I've kept the radio in the tank bag and it works fine to half a mile or so, more in the open spaces.
 
I have a 1200gs with C3 helmet J&M hard wired audio through my helmet to a Midland GTX 5000 this is using the J&M connectors and push to talk switch along with the mount. System works very well, when communication with another quality radio range is more than a mile. :bikes
 
Antenna is on you. For me, range means nothing in transmitting power - it's a CB, range is limited anyway. That means I can use just near any old hunk of wire to receive.

I run a small, no ground plane antenna that sits where BMW puts radio antennas on the right front of the fairing. Only good for about a quarter mile for transmitting but that works fine for me.


The antennas from J&M work very well. They have three lengths. The longest being the strongest. Any no ground plane antenna will work fine.


Speaking of CBs (I don't mean to hijack your thread) Steve, I need to bring my bike by and put it on your SWR meter, I don't seem to be getting out. Thank you for reminding me. :doh
 
It's the house with the weather station on the roof of the garage. Then again, by the time yer ready to come by - you'll forget again so here's another reminder - it's the house with the car in the closed garage.... :D

As always, just beam me up to make sure I.B. here.

Glad to see you here. Lots of good folks to work with.
 
Has anyone installed a JMCB-2003 handlebar- mounted CB-Audio system?

I had the BMW branded version of the JMCB-2003. It comes with a firestick antenna, all the cables, the mounting brackets. I had it on my 2008 RT. At the time I bought, the BMW kit was less expensive than buying the individual parts from J&M (still not cheap).

A couple advantages I found of using CB on the bike...
- If you were on Ch 19, you pretty much knew where the speed traps were.
- If you were in traffic and needed directions or other information there was usually someone else listening that could provide info.

Not sure that happens on FRS.
 
j&m on other bike...

The "dark side" got me for a while and it had a J&M on handlebars. Since most others that I rode with had one as well, it made for good communication and shepherding of noobs. Tailgunner told leader to wait after signals to keep the group together.

Biggest limit to the units is essentially line-of-sight range limit unless installing the antenna on top of your helmet. (am I wrong on this detail you HAM's?)

I've got a used one coming from some folks in Canada, mostly so I can get the intercom on my bike and install a solo unit on the DW's ride. She's not as experienced and we live in a VERY rural area so we'll be free from most of the pottymouth trucker. Afterall, I've almost never seen a trucker not talking on a cell phone in the past five years :nono

Thane
 
I see most truckers going VHF these days. Driving around BC the CB is pretty much silent most of the time.
 
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